Heroin, types and effects of consumption

The heroin is the name for a modified version of the morphine, which is an addictive and illegal opioid drug. It is extracted from a plant called "Simp. It is also a semi-synthetic opioid.

It is presented as a white, toilet, very fine dust, although its appearance can vary depending on the purification processes to which it has undergone. The main route of consumption is endovenous, although it can also be taken sniffed or smoked.

Content

• How heroine acts
• Types of heroin
• Short -term effects of heroin consumption
• Side effects
• Long -term effects of heroin consumption
  • Bibliographic references

How heroine acts

It acts as a central nervous system depressant (SNC), it is relaxing. In the beginning it produces a feeling of intense pleasure ("flash") and euphoria, followed by apathy and drowsiness. After a period of consumption, the sensation is well -being, of being in a dream away from everything.

The individual who takes it develops a very quick tolerance and dependence, since it has high addictive power.

Types of heroin

• Brown hero: It is a type of heroine that comes from Africa. It should be heated before dissolving it and it is customary to use a blade for that, the dose is put on and heated with a lighter below the blade. Dissolves in citric acid (lemon juice). Its use is very cumbersome and also citric acid may burn arteries. Currently, heroinomaniac citric acid is supplied, so that its use is more hygienic.
• White hero: It is a type of easier dissolution heroin, since it is made with distilled water or other liquids. It is usually dissolved in a bottle cap and loaded with a peeled cigarette filter so that the dilution lumps do not go to the syringe. This filter is saved by the heroinome.

Short -term effects of heroin consumption

The addictive nature of this substance is partly due to its ability to create intense pleasant sensations. Heroin manages to bring the consumer to a state of great well -being through union to opioid receptors in the body. Once the chemical interaction took place, the affected nerve cells They release a neurotransmitter called dopamine. This sense of reward that is generated can reactivate and subsequently reinforce, a growing addiction, since the user continually seeks to repeat the feeling of pleasure and therefore the heroin consumption.

The short -term effects are variable depending on the dose and the route of administration, but the first effect to appear is that of analgesia or immediate relief of pain, as well as the depression of the central nervous system that produces the following:

• Intense feelings of euphoria.
• Heat sensation ("fever").
• Sensation of heaviness in the limbs.
• Decreased pain sensitivity.
• Sedation.

The pleasant sensations related to the "fever" will only be felt for a few minutes, but well -being and sedation persist for several hours. The duration of the effects will depend on purity, dose and route of administration, For example, if the drug is inhaled, smoked or injected. During the most intense effects of heroin, the user can find periods of vigil and sleep, called "heads".

The effects of heroin decrease with its continued use, since The user becomes increasingly drug tolerant. For this reason, increasingly high amounts are needed to achieve the same effect, which can easily lead to overdose.

Side effects

Over time, the pleasant effects in the short term of heroin are eclipsed by the numerous unwanted side effects of the substance. Frequently, this is because the body adapts to heroin in the system and takes measures to counteract the effects. The side effects of the use of heroin include:

• Nausea and vomiting.
• Confusion.
• Dry mouth.
• Skin itch.
• Light sensitivity.
• Body temperature lower than normal.
• Slow breathing.
• Decreased heart rate.
• Cyanotic skin (bluish) in the hands, feet, lips, etc.

The risk of overdose death is an important risk in people who consume heroin, but dosing is impossible to measure due to the difference in purity depending on how they find it in the black market at that time.

Many of the complications and side effects of heroin are aggravated by the use of other substances, especially body depressants such as alcohol or sedatives. Combined effects can lead to dangerously slow breathing, Lack of oxygen in the brain, heart problems, coma and death.

Long -term effects of heroin consumption

There is a wide range of long -term heroin consumption effects. People who consume heroin for long periods of time can experience:

• Damaged teeth and gum inflammation.
• Skin excoriations for scratching.
• Severe constipation.
• Immune system weakness.
• Sedation.
• Lack of appetite and malnutrition.
• Sleeping problems.
• Decreased sexual function.

Some of the greatest risks of long -term heroin consumption are liver problems or kidneys or infectious diseases. The brain can also be negatively affected due to lack of oxygen.

People who consume heroin often must also deal with abscess problems, bacterial infections and heart valves infections. Pregnant women who consume heroin run the risk of involuntary abortion, and put their children at risk of communicable diseases, as well as drug addiction from birth from birth.

Bibliographic references

• Bobes, j. (2013). Heroine: uses and abuses. Magazine of Psychiatry and Mental Health, 6 (4), 181-183.
• Well, f. J. (2016). Heroin and opiates: an updated review. Neurology Magazine, 62 (Suppl. 1), S47-S53.
• García-Marchena, n., Pavón, f. J., & Araos, p. (2015). Heroine and Endogenous Opioid Systems: Effects on the brain and its relationship with addiction. Addictions, 27 (2), 123-135.
• González-Saiz, f. (2015). Treatment of opioid addiction and heroin. Neurology Magazine, 60 (Suppl. 1), S53-S59.
• López-Muñoz, f., & Uucha-deb, r. (2013). Heroine: Health effects and addiction treatment. Magazine of Psychiatry and Mental Health, 6 (4), 185-193.